La Femme Nikita Season 4 Episode 21 – Up The Rabbit Hole

Title: Up The Rabbit Hole

Air Date: August 27, 2000

Synopsis: Part two of three in what was intended to be the series finale. Nikita has gone rogue and left Section One who realizes she had help from Red Cell. Michael grows suspicious of Quinn. And Jason digs up some information at Oversight.

Michael is waiting at Mario’s Restaurant. Nikita calls him on his cell, "I’m alright. Can’t talk long, don’t know who I can trust." Michael sees a woman outside at a public phone that looks like Nikita. He continues talking to Nikita as he approaches the woman. Nikita wants to meet him and he suggests the cottage. Nikita replies, "No, that’s the first place they’d look." Michael tells her to choose a place as he reaches the woman and realizes its not Nikita. The blond walks away and the phone rings. Michael answers. "Where can I feel safe, Michael? When I can’t even trust you." She hangs up.

Section briefing. Maurice Grenet, Red Cell’s interim Cardinal, orchestrated Nikita’s extraction. Madeline reports that Nikita’s movements have been nothing like what’s on her current profile. Quinn asks, "How is that possible?" "Anything we thought we knew about her is wrong." Jason relays his intel on Grenet’s possible location. Operations puts Michael on Tactical and Davenport in the field. Madeline takes Jason to her office and informs him that he leaves for Center in the morning. She discusses what he needs to do to keep his old girlfriend, Naomi, alive. "You feel you’re ready for this?" Jason replies, without the accent, "My brother Jason will expect you to live up to your end of the deal." Madeline smiles. Jason leaves the room with a smile.

Grenet’s compound is infiltrated and he is returned to Section. Madeline starts to interrogate him in the White Room. She shoots him in the left leg, "Where is Nikita?" Grenet replies defiantly, "She’s out of my reach and yours too." Madeline levels the gun on his other leg as Operations walks in and insists on taking over the interrogation. Grenet jokes about their good cop / bad cop ploy failing. Operations replies, "There are no good cops." Then introduces Maurice to some hungry and aggressive rats. He lets one start to crawl up Grenet’s bleeding leg, "I’m told they’ll feed until they die." Grenet starts screaming. He breaks and gives Operations the intel on Dr. Kraft.

Quinn gives an overview of what Kraft, a magician or sorts, can do with prosthetics without altering a person’s bone structure. Then shows some possibilities of what Nikita might look like. Operations states that the data will be relayed to four other Sections that are cooperating in the search. Dr. Kraft has two offices. Davenport and Michael each lead a team. Operations tells them to cancel Nikita when they find her. Walter interjects, "If she was able to sink her files and get outta Dodge isn’t she worth more alive." Operations simply replies, "You have your orders."

Michael’s team finds Kraft and interrogates him on-site. He tells the operatives that he changed Nikita’s appearance completely and destroyed the records.

Section One. Michael informs Operations that Nikita could be anyone. Madeline questions if Kraft gave any other details that Michael is holding back. He insures her that everything is in his report. Madeline orders Michael to tell Quinn everything he can recall about Nikita, that he has learned in the past six years, to help build a more personal profile of her. As Michael walks past Comm to Walter Quinn gazes up at him seemingly interested for some reason. Michael asks Walter to play back the Grenet mission to clarify something.

Comm. Michael goes to Quinn to help her work on Nikita’s profile.

"According to everything you’ve told me, Nikita’s very emotional. Is she likely to break with that pattern?"

"No."

"Given her leaning toward impulse, its amazing she lasted here this long."

"It’s what made her good."

Quinn seems to like that response. Then asks Michael about a geographical focus. Michael mentions the cottage but dismisses it. Then tells Quinn about an Inn at Saint Etienne that has special meaning to Nikita, "She said it was her warmest memory." Quinn seems a little caught off guard by Michael’s vivid recollection of the event. Quinn turns back to her computer and tells Michael that she’ll let him know when she’s done programming the new data.

Saint Etienne Inn. Michael starts to chase after a blond but realizes it was not Nikita. Michael returns to Section and assures Madeline and Operations that Nikita was never at the Inn. As Michael leaves the Perch, Walter gestures that he needs to meet him in the Annex. Madeline contacts Jason at Center and orders him to access George’s files at Oversight. He complies. Walter confirms that Quinn may have tampered with the filtering on the Grenet mission. "It could’ve been accidental. But then again…"

Michael walks out to meet Quinn at her station. Quinn confronts Michael, "Have you stopped to think that maybe you don’t want us to find Nikita?"

"For what reason?"

"Because you’re in love with her."

"I never loved her." Michael states very bluntly.

Quinn is stunned, hurt, struggling to recover she replies, "I thought it was common knowledge."

After seeing her stunned expression Michael elaborates that that was what Operations, Madeline, and he wanted everyone to think. "I was assigned to train her, motivate her adjustment."

"Give her something to believe in."

"Yes."

"And your feelings for her?" Quinn sees the seriousness in his eyes and goes back to her work. "I’ll have to figure this in." She watches Michael as he walks away, a hurt expression in her eyes. A short time later Michael requests Quinn come to his office. She enters and sits down. Michael activates a device to secure the room. Michael looks at Quinn, "Given Nikita’s training I don’t believe your profile will reveal her location."

Quinn retorts, "It would’ve helped if I’d had all the facts."

"I know where she is. Nikita was taught if exposed, to hide in plain sight."

"How does this help?"

Michael moves behind her. Quinn starts to get uneasy. Michael places his hands on her shoulders. "Don’t move." He starts to feel her face. Running his fingers around her features. "Hide in plain sight. Section is the last place we’d think to look."

Quinn pulls down her collar and removes a tiny voice modulator from her throat. Quinn / Nikita replies in a somewhat sad voice, "Like I said, Nikita is very emotional. Seems to be what trips her up most of the time."

"Why?"

"I couldn’t leave without you."

"No one really leaves Section."

"I agree. But we can help each other forget." replies Quinn / Nikita longingly. She touches the scar on his cheek, "I’m sorry Michael."

"You knew I’d escape?"

"Of course, but Grenet promised me he wouldn’t hurt you."

Michael remains silent. Perhaps saying you hurt me more emotionally than any torture could. Michael stand and walks to the window, "Go back to your post." Nikita replaces the voice modulator to sound like Quinn and leaves hesitantly, not sure what is going to happen next.

Madeline enters the Perch and informs Operations that Jason came thru at Center and found that George is a Red Cell mole. Operations is very pleased. Walter startles Quinn as he returns a disc to her. He questions if she is okay but leaves her alone. Quinn’s anxiety increases as she watches Michael enter the Perch. Operations informs Michael that a change is about to occur in Section that will leave him in charge of Section One. Michael doesn’t not appear to care but tells Operations that he is pleased. Michael tells Operations that he has a new lead on Nikita. Operations briefs a team and reminds them, "I want Nikita cancelled on-site."

En route in the van. Quinn is working at a computer. Michael never makes eye contact with her although she glances at him for some sign. Back at Section, Madeline notices something on a monitor and picks up a phone. At the target site. Davenport’s team moves out. Michael and Quinn / Nikita are left alone in the van. Michael retrieves a spare handgun from a floor panel and hands it to Quinn. She accepts it and understands the plan.

Section. Madeline reports to Operations that Michael and Quinn are not accounted for, their implants have been removed. Realization strikes Operations, "Nikita!" He and Madeline take over on consoles. Operations tries to call Michael but he does not respond. Madeline tells Davenport to abort the mission and Operations orders him to apprehend Quinn and Michael and return them to Section. Michael and Quinn exit the van. Quinn / Nikita shoots the operative waiting in the second van and Michael takes out the Suburban driver then climbs behind the wheel as Nikita joins him on the passenger side. Davenport walks straight toward them, "Michael, what’re you doing? Stand down!" Michael and Nikita share a look then Michael accelerates and runs down Davenport killing him. Back at Section One Madeline and Operations realize Michael and Nikita are gone.

A yacht at sea. Michael is towel-drying someone’s hair. He lifts the towel to reveal Nikita back to her old self. Nikita looks up at Michael, "Kraft was a genius with long term prosthetics. We could use his techniques if we need to disappear again." "I don’t want you to change again." Michael caresses and kisses her face.

Section. Madeline reports that the real Quinn was found drugged at her apartment. Operations glares at Madeline blaming her for the failure. He gives her 24 hours to find Michael and Nikita before walking away. Madeline returns to her office then pages Stokes to reposition satellites. That night, on the yacht. Nikita is curled up under a sheet. Michael works at a laptop monitoring Section repositioning the satellites. Nikita asks, "Can she find us?" "She won’t stop trying." Perch. Jason tells Operations that George is on the way. Operations orders him to find intel on Mr. Jones next. Jason reluctantly agrees. Madeline is giving orders in Comm. She asks for more man power and Operations complies. Walter is watching the tense scene with amusement. He enters a code on his panel and opens a channel to Jason. Walter tells Jason about the current atmosphere and that Nikita and Michael flew the coop. Jason replies, "Mom and Dad must be freaking out." "That’s the best part. Madeline’s having a meltdown. Operations is wearing out the floor in his office." Walter signs off as he sees Naomi walking toward Madeline where she briefs the young operatives on their mission to comb the planet looking for Michael and Nikita.

Ocean scenes and sea gulls flying over the beach. Michael and Nikita are walking along the shore arm in arm and laughing. A beautiful scene. They build a fire and Michael reads something to Nikita. The two are clearly happy and content. The camera fades with Michael and Nikita looking out to sea.

Section One. George arrives and Operations leads him toward the White Room. "We found a Red Cell mole."

George asks, "Who is it?"

"See for yourself." Operations pushes open the door and the chair is empty. "Its you George."

After a moment of thought, "You used Seymour to spy on me."

"Yes, though it’s Jason not Seymour."

George walks in and sits down, "I’ll see you in hell."

"I’m sure you’ll be waiting." Operations exits and the door closes.

Back on the yacht. Its early morning and Michael awakes to a noise. He heads above deck with weapon drawn. However, its only a loose fastener flapping in the breeze. Nikita comes up behind him, "It’s over Michael. You can relax now." They hug. The yacht sails into the sunset.

That song they played during Michael and Nikita’s stroll up the beach was I Love You from Sarah McLachlan: Surfacing. (BUY
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